Data centers can provide cloud storage systems to remotely store data for networked systems. However, such cloud storage systems can consume large amounts of power at the data center to store and manage data in an array of data storage devices (DSDs).
“Cold storage” or archive storage generally refers to ways of providing more cost effective storage for rarely accessed data. The cost of storage is usually the most important metric, sacrificing time to data. Such cold storage can include powering only the DSD required for an active request for data. For example, the Open Compute specification calls for an Open Vault tray of 15 DSDs. Only one DSD in the tray is powered at a time, to reduce power, heat, and vibration. However, because only one DSD is powered at a time, the other inactive DSDs may include components which are not simultaneously needed or utilized, and may therefore be redundant while consuming excess power.